Combination bowling and sliding ball for games



Dec. 26, 1961 J. E. ANGELIER 3,014,726

COMBINATION BOWLING AND SLIDING BALL FOR GAMES Filed Jan. 21, 1960 /ll IO l2 l4 JNVENTOR. JAMES E. ANGELIER FIG. 4.

ATTORNEYS United States This invention relates to games and more particularly to a combination bowling and sliding ball game with bowling pins primarily designed for play in the home by average persons rather than for use in commercial bowling alleys.

Modified bowling games for home use are well-known in the art. Generally, the bowling ball itself is of smaller diameter and of considerably lighter Weight than those employed in commercial alleys. Further, the pins are generally of smaller size in order that the game may be played on an alley or smooth runway surface which can easily be accommodated within the confines of the average residence.

In some types of table bowling games, a sliding puck or similar object such as used in shuflleboardis used instead. of a ball and is slid along a smooth surface to simulate knocking over pins, as by engaging projecting springs to electrically actuate pin symbols. Generally, however, the length of the sliding surface is only 4 or feet and is usually raised to table height.

Both of the foregoing modified bowling games for play use are very popular but necessarily require different equipment and thus added expense if both types of game are to be enjoyed.

Bearing the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel combination bowling and sliding ball game in which the same equipment may be used for either conventional bowling or for sliding puck types of games.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a novel bowling and sliding ball combination in which a ball and base member can be employed as a sliding unit for sliding type games and, by a rapid modification, the ball part of the unit can be used as a conventional bowling ball.

Another important object is to provide a combination bowling and sliding ball which can be manufactured extremely economically to the end that different types of games may be played with a minimum amount of equipment and thus a minimum cost.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing a bowling ball having at least two of the conventional finger receiving cavities opening on the outer surface of the ball. A disc shaped base member is provided having a fiat sliding surface on its under side and at least two pegs extending upwardly from its top side for insertion in the ball finger cavities. By this arrangement, the ball may be supported in a fixed position on the upper side of the base member and the base member and ball may be slid as a unit. When it is desired to use the ball in a conventional manner, it is a simple matter to simply lift the ball from the upstanding pegs of the base member and then employ the finger cavities in the usual manner to roll the ball.

A better understanding of the invention and its various features and advantages will be had by referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the combination bowling and sliding ball game;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the ball and base member itself taken generally in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view illustratatent 3,014,723 Patented Dec. 26, 1961 ing the ball and base member separated from each other; and,

FIGURE 4 is a cross section of a modified type of base member for use with the ball of the invention.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 there is shown a home type of bowling alley in the form of a smooth runway or surface 10 at the far end of which are positioned various miniature type bowling pins 11. A bowling ball 12 is shown at the forward portion of the alley mounted on a base member 13. The base member 13 is designed to slide along the smooth surface 10 and .a player may employ a conventional shuflleboard type stick 14 for imparting motion to the ball 12 and base member 13 as a unit. Thus in playing the game depicted in FIG- URE l, a player will simply slide the ball 12 and base unit member 13 with the stick 14 down the alley 10 and attempt to strike as many pins 11 as possible in accordance with a conventional bowling game scoring procedure.-

FIGURE 2 illustrates in greater detail the combination bowling and sliding ball structure. As shown, the base member 13 is preferably disc shaped and provided with a smooth flat sliding under-surface 13'. At least two pegs 15 and 16 extend normally upwardly from the upper surface of the base member 13 and are arranged to be received respectively in finger cavities 17 and 18 opening at the surface of the ball 12. By this arrangement, the ball 12 is stabilized in a fixed position above the base member 13 as illustrated in FIG- URE 2, but may be readily separated therefrom by simply lifting the ball vertically upwardly from the pegs 15 and 16 as illustrated in the exploded perspectiveview of FIGURE 3.

Referring once again to FIGURE 1, if it is desired to bowl in a conventional manner, the ball 12 is lifted from the base member 13 as described in connection with FIGURE 3, and the base member 13 placed to one side. The finger cavities 17 and 18 then serve their normal purpose of enabling a player to readily grip the ball with one hand and roll the same down the alley 16 in the usual manner.

Usually the diameter of the ball and size of the pins are designed such that when the ball is rolled down an alley or smooth surface, it will strike a pin at its widest point close to its center of gravity. It will be evident from the embodiment shown in FIGURES l, 2, and 3,

however that when the base member 13 is employed, the center of the ball is slightly higher above the sliding surface 10 than is the case when the ball itself rolls on the surface. Thus the ball will strike the pins at a higher point. To maintain the striking point of the ball with the pins the same when the ball is employed as either a sliding unit or simply by itself, a modified type of base member may be employed as illustrated in FIGURE 4.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 4, the base member 19 has its upper surface hollowed out into a concave spherical shape as indicated at 29. The under surface on the other hand is a flat smooth surface 19 as in the case for the disc of FIGURES 2 and 3. The radius of curvature of the hollowed out upper portion is equal to the radius of the ball 12 shown by the dashed lines, and in order that the height of the center of the ball above the smooth surface upon which the base unit is to slide be substantially equal to the radius of the ball, a small central opening 12 will exist at the center portion of the base member. Supporting pegs 22 and 23 may be provided within the concave surface 20 for reception in the finger cavities as in the case of FIGURES 2 and 3.

In all of the embodiments, the density of the base member which may be metal is considerably greater than the average density of the ball which is ordinarily plastic in the case of home-type bowling games. The center of gravity of the combined ball and base member is thus considerably closer to the center of gravity of the base member alone than to the center of gravity of the ball alone and thus the members sliding as a unit are stabilized in an upright position as illustrated in FIG- URE 1. Further, the diameter of the base member is preferably less than the diameter of the ball so that the ball itself in both cases will strike the pins.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the present invention has provided a unique combination bowling and sliding ball game in which the same ball and pins employed when used as a conventional bowling game can be used when a sliding game is played. The only additional components required are the base member and a shuffie board type stick. An important and unique feature of the structure resides in the use of the finger receiving cavities 17 and 18 for the additional function of supporting the ball when the same is used in a sliding game. Thus the sphericity of the ball and its grip openings are preserved and yet it can be readily fixed in a given position for sliding movement with the base member.

Modifications that fall clearly within the scope and spirit of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The combination bowling and sliding ball gameis therefore not to be thought of as limited to the pari.- ticular embodiments set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination bowling and sliding ball game, a bowling ball having at least two finger receiving cavities opening on the outer surface of said ball; and a disc shaped base member having a fiat sliding surface on its under side and at least two pegs extending upwardly from its upper surface for insertion in said finger cavities to support said ball in a fixed position on the upper side of said base member, the diameter of said base member being less than the diameter of said ball.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, in which said base member has a higher average density than said ball so that the center of gravity of said base member and ball as a unit is closer to the center of gravity of said base member alone than to the center of gravity of said ball alone, whereby stability is provided said unit when in sliding motion.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, in which the heigh of the center of said ball above the plane of said fiat; sliding surface of said base member when said ball is in fixed position on the upper side of said base memberis substantially equal to the radius of said ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,812,184 McGee NOV, 5, 1957 

